Abstract:

Aim: Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women. The Ki-67 antigen is a factor used for subgrouping of luminal breast cancer into A and B subtypes. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) is an effective imaging method in the evaluation of patients with locally advanced breast cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and Ki-67 expression levels in primary breast cancer. Methods: Fifty-one female patients (43-83 years, mean: 64.7±9.7 years) diagnosed and operated for breast cancer were included in this retrospective study. 18F-FDG PET/CT was performed for each patient with the purpose of staging. Ki-67 expression levels obtained from pathology data were divided into three groups as <15%, 15-29%, and >30%, and SUVmax values obtained from 18F-FDG PET/CT were compared between the groups. Results: A analysis of Ki-67 expression levels and SUVmax of the primary tumor revealed a moderate and significant correlation between SUVmax and Ki-67 expression levels. Also, a statistically significant relationship was found between SUVmax of the primary tumor in the breast and estrogen receptor positivity and progesterone receptor positivity. Although not statistically significant, the mean SUVmax in triple-positive patients was high. Conclusion: The correlation between SUVmax and Ki-67 expression levels was found to be moderate and statistically significant. However, further studies with more homogeneous groups and larger sample size are needed.

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